Quote Originally Posted by phogg View Post
Thanks for both of those responses! It sounds like there could be a fine line between this being a really cool thing to do along side my son and being giant, expensive failure...lol! Ace, my son, loves anything to do with animals, science etc. I really think he would learn a tremendous amount doing something like this because he'll be way into all the details. The harder part for me to grasp is the financial side. I've been an entrepreneur my whole life so I always try to think about how the dollars will be made & lost. The biggest question in my mind is how to sell the animals. What are the best outlets for small, unknown like we would be? Given that we aren't trying to make a living off snakes, is there a market to "wholesale" animals to someone who DOES have an established reputation? On the flip side of the same line of thought, where is the best place to buy new snakes? We bought our first one from Chun Ku at Dynasty Reptiles and had a good experience. Would we be better served to wait for reptile shows & buy there? Thanks again for engaging in this conversation that, I realize, is probably pretty boring for those who have been around a while!
The best advice I can give you is don't ever breed as a consideration of $$$. Gained OR lost. Breed for the love of the animal, and that way you will never be disappointed.

Please also be sure you have a plan to be able to house babies you cannot sell right away. Normal ball python babies are a dime a dozen in most areas and it can be hard to find people to take them. Even if you plan your morphs well you are bound to produce normals from time to time.

There are many other snake species to consider, as well, some of which will breed easier than BP's or be easier to sell in your area. Lots of things to consider... spend a year or so enjoying some pet snakes and getting a feel for the reptile market in your area. Once you find out what sells you can make an informed decision.